In this week’s lecture, we learned how to use smart filter, differentiate linking object (smart object) from copy-pasting an object to the document and lastly, creating moving image which loops infinitely from Photoshop (creating .gif files!).

SMART OBJECT/SMART FILTER

Making text reflection on the lake/pond). (Smart object, Gaussian Blur)Using the “place linked” function allows you to edit the image you linked to be edited in its original file, so that you can always make alterations on the image (for example, in this case, the kerning, or the size of the text) without eradicating it of its edited effects. Smart objects have to be rasterized (removed of its link functions, become a normal image) when you want to edit it on the file you’re working on, but Smart Filters allow changes to be made to smart objects without rasterisation.

Subtle reflection of the text, slab-serif font complimenting the whole look of the environment. I reduced the reflection’s opacity to around 60% and set the blending option to Screen. The blur on the text is achieved by using the smart filter function Gaussian Blur.

CROCFROG (Crocodile head – Frog body image manipulation)

Place the crocodile image onto the frog’s image. Mask a good part of the crocodile’s head except for its mouth, jaw and neck.Adjust the color balance so it would resemble the color of the frog’s body.Select the whole image, go to edit and select “Copy Merged”. A new layer consisting of the image’s entirety would show up. Smoothen things up here with blur, clone stamp, smudge and contour some parts with dodging / burn tool.Crocodile – frog mutant, no science needed.Inserting video into Photoshop! (Photoshop CC supports this function)

Trimmed the video to the movements that we want to be seen. Select the whole video with marquee tool, go to edit and “Copy Merged”. This will give you a still image of the video, and you’ll be masking this image, removing the parts which motion you want to show in the gif. (In this case, the static-moving train)

Once you’re done / satisfied with how it looks, click File and Export “Save for Web (Legacy)”. This will allow you to save your file as PNG or GIF.How the settings are.For an endlessly moving gif file, you’ll have to change the looping options from Once to Forever (quite obviously).

(A very messy masking; comic book is supposed to be still but you still can see that it moved)